Igor.

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/COMPLEXI.html

Heylighen,

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article1395798.ece

explains this well.

God really doesn’t play dice with the universe, perhaps.

1) All complex systems look similar. Since the brain and the large-scale universe are complex systems they will tend to look similar.

2) There are evolutionary advantages for organisms whose brain resembles the universe, since this allows for prediction and careful planning to avoid danger and gain reward (e.g., food). Since the brain tends to mirror the universe it will tend to look like the universe.

3) The universe implements an algorithm in which configurations of matter are combined pseudo-randomly, with those configurations that are most stable lasting the longest (by definition). These stable configurations are then recombined with other stable configurations, potentially creating even more stable configurations. Note that the more stable the configurations the more chance it has for combining with other stable configurations, thus the more likely it is to enter into an even more complex and/or stable configuration. Also note that the main difference between this form of evolution and biological evolution is the lack of replication in the case of the large-scale universe (similarity between structures is dependent on co-evolution).

I think I like the last explanation the best, though I’ll add this synthesis of 1 and 3 to make an even better explanation:
4) A common algorithm is at play for both large-scale (e.g. galactic) and small-scale (e.g. brain) evolution. This algorithm leads to high stability and/or complexity over time. The large-scale universe and the brain have become complex over millions of years. Since complex systems tend to look similar the brain and large-scale universe look similar.

This suggestion is far more convinceing. It is possible that all the structures in universe depend on the same law of development. We could say evolutionary law, which accepts some structures, and their iterations and deny others. This approach can be applied to both brain, and cognition. Mayby we can apply it as well to the universe… I am not sure. We should ask phisician about conclusion of this type.

Turgut

Anyway this is not enough for any claim about creation, and FAR TOO LESS for any statement about any CREATOR.

I wasn’t saying that the physical universe evolved in the same way as biological evolution. Rather, I was saying that brain evolution may tend toward mirroring the universe in complexity. Thus, I was saying that the evolution is all on one side.

That being said, there is a similar evolutionary algorithm likely at work both with the large-scale physical universe and the brain. That algorithm simply consists of systems entering into random states (like mutations) with the ones that are most stable lasting the longest (like selection). These long-lasting states then recombine into more complex longer-lasting states, thus evolving order and complexity over time.

So, now I am indeed saying that the brain and the universe evolved complexity in some equivalent (though obviously not identical) way. Of course, since the brain is part of the universe it seems that biological brain evolution is in fact a subset of a larger class of evolutionary processes occurring at multiple scales in the universe.

They did not needed to have any impression. It is enough that they recived particular amount of information.

See: Claude Shannon “The Mathematical Theory of Information”
See: Erwin Schrodinger “What is the live?”

M.C.

I find your observation very interesting, however I have some doubts about so general conclusion.

This is quite well argumentation as for naturalized rationality, however i’m not sure if this is proper one for the claim. I mean that it is possible to use such kind of evolutionary argumentation if one want to show that our epistemic abilities are, let say, somehow adeqate.

But in my opinion we should distinguish between our abilities to represent data in some way, and real nature of the universe. Even if one would find really interesting way to show a priori that some complex structures are somehow similar, this would be interesting theoretical discovery. It may say something about the structure of cognition, and mind, but nothing really interesting about the mind-world suitability. Our concept of universe and its complexity is not independent to our mental machinery. You never know what kind of information you loose becouse of yours mind architecture. Thus you never know how you could imagine universe having another cognitive structure. But the real problem is that cognitive architecture of mind is not strictly dependent to the brain hardware (wetware). Let say: I do not belive this. If you treat abitily of representing the lion in bushes as a program, there is no limitation for kind of hardware on which it is implemented.

That is what I think of that matter.

I strongly disagree with the creationist interpretation. There is a clear mechanism for evolution here, as I described. There is no clear (or even conceivable) mechanism for how an all-powerful human-like creator would have come into existence.

The argument is that the brain has mirrored the external universe because there were many evolutionary advantages to do so. The example was the adaptive nature of representing lions even if they hide behind bushes. This increased complexity in the brain, which mirrors the external world, makes it more likely to survive in the wild (providing an evolutionary advantage).

I'm not arguing that the ultimate evolutionary goal of the brain is to completely mirror the external universe. There are also evolutionary advantages to self-deceptive tendencies (e.g., males believing females are just 'playing hard to get' during courtship even if they are clearly indifferent toward the pursuing male during most of the process).

As far as the visual similarity between the entire external universe and the brain, the idea is that all complex systems look similar. Since the brain is 'trying' to approximate a complex system (the part of the universe leading to evolutionary advantages), it becomes a complex system. Since both the brain and universe are complex systems they have a network-like structure that makes them look similar.

If that’s not what you’re saying, rather you’re pointing out that there is something fundamentally comparable between the two, like the fact that connections are things that link two points, and many points make make connections. And when particular points have many connections they become a centralized passing point… then you havnt said much

What word would you like to replace “accurate” with?
You haven’t convinced me that it is the “wrong word” to use here.

This suggests that even though our brains don’t represent the world with complete accuracy, it is nonetheless quite accurate in most cases

accurate wrong word

Nice topic :)